Triple Crown title to Irish team

Press, 1 April 1985, Page 27

Triple Crown title to Irish team

NZPA staff correspondent London

A centre, Mike Kiernan, grabbed a 20m dropped goal in injury time to give Ireland the Five Nations and Triple Crown rugby titles yesterday. Kiernan’s kick turned 10-10 into a 13-10 win against England and gave Ireland its third win.

France, which beat Wales 14-3 in Paris, started the international championship as the outright favourite but ended with two wins and two draws. Over all Ciaran Fitzgerald’s men deserved success for inspiring European rugby with their flair, which yielded wins against Scotland and Wales plus a 15-15 draw with France.

Yesterday’s win was not convincing. England tackled with grit and gave glimpses of speedy attack that may test opponents when it tours New Zealand in May and June.

England led 10-7 with 10 minutes remaining, even though the home side’s strong forward pack had dominated possession. Kiernan’s goal-kicking has been a find for Ireland — his points often the difference in spite of the pledge to win by running rugby — and he levelled the scores with a penalty goal despite

earlier failures.

Then, with time up, the superb Irish line-out jumper, Donal Lenihan, a lock, led a charge which produced controlled ball for the half-back, Mike Bradley. The half-back’s pass went to Kiernan, who, after seeing his backline fling itself with little effect against England’s cover, went right, stopped and bashed the drop kick between the posts. The win brought Ireland its third international championship title in four seasons and its tenth in history. It has won the Triple Crown six times, an honour that goes to a nation beating all the other home unions in a season.

Yesterday was a triumph for Fitzgerald, who suffered miseries during Ireland’s dismal last season and as captain of the 1983 British Lions which lost the test series, 4-0, to New Zealand. Ireland’s sole try was opportunist. Kiernan’s centre partner, Brendan Mullin, embarrassed the big English full-back, Chris Martin, by charging down a clearing kick, chasing the loose ball and diving on it over the line.

Martin’s defensive performance was a black spot for England. He failed the test under the high ball three times within the first 10 minutes of the second

spell as Ireland pressured him.

Ireland could not break through again though after Mullin stole his try at the opening of the match. England’s own try came when its captain and centre, Paul Dodge, chipped with his left boot and the flying winger, Rory Underwood, scored to level at 7-7.

Kiernan kicked two penalty goals as well as the dropped goal. The England fly half, Rob Andrew, slotted two penalty goals, including a superb shot from halfway with a wet ball in the first few minutes.

But, like Kiernan, he missed several opportunities. He also had to make do with a new half-back after the injury-prone Nigel Melville left the field with a gashed head. England’s earlier 9-9 draw with France at Twickenham proved decisive in the championship. The Frenchmen scored two tries yesterday while the Welshmen got only a penalty goal from its new full-back, Paul Thornburn.

France’s tries came from Patrick Esteve and Jerome Gallion while Jean Lescaboura kicked two penalty goals.